We Served
by babesrus2
Summary: A Memorial Day One-Shot. Ranger and his Core Team have been called one more time, but so has someone else. Stephanie does appear in a minor role.


**JE owns the characters and I am just taking them out for a look-around. Mind you, if I kept them for say a few months, do you think she would miss them?**

We Served

Ranger had completed his last contract and was now at home running Rangeman full-time. He had been approached a number of times to reassess his decision but he was firm. He wanted to devote more time to his new life. Finally they had relented and stopped calling.

Tank and Lula were deciding what they wanted in a relationship. They had both been burned in their pasts by failed relationships and were taking it very, very slowly. Turtle speed came to mind, but at least they were still on the same page.

There were new hires training in all the branches. Rangeman Incorporated had been planning to expand and using the recession as an excuse had opened new branches in a number of cities with Ranger leading the way at the helm. Security was big business and Rangeman was benefitting from the perceived need.

Ranger and Stephanie had been married for now just over a year. Stephanie was sporting a little baby bump and was now working full-time at Rangeman. She had made the decision herself that chasing FTA's was not in her best interest and had willingly given up the position at Plum Bond Agencies.

Lula was now taking the lower bonds and seemed to be keeping a lot cleaner than Stephanie ever had in the process. Her attitude was still no-nonsense but the regulars loved her just the same. She had been there and knew what it was like to be down on the streets, at their wit's end with money issues and a precarious lifestyle. Lula had an appreciation what was happening in their lives and their reasoning behind the choices they had made, good or bad. She was doing a good job and had only resorted to pulling out her gun a few times.

Lula had consented to enrolling in a series of fitness classes and was losing weight and getting stronger. She had teamed up with a fitness establishment and there were now a number of classes tailored for big and beautiful women. Tank had always said that he loved his women big and black, but this new Lula was keeping him very happy. He walked onto the floor every morning smiling that wolf grin that could only mean his morning had started off very, very well.

It had taken an act of god to get her there, but both Stephanie and Tank had put their foot down and gave her the full and unabridged version of the consequences of running around carrying without a permit. Rangeman was breathing a sigh of relief as Lula had actually applied for and received a permit for her weapon and was taking some training in the proper care and use of a firearm through Rangeman.

Stephanie had taken over the Searches and Bond Department and had literally turned it on it's ear and upside down. She had been given the responsibility and authority to hire people who she believed could think outside the box making apprehensions less dangerous for the men for the most part. Word had passed through the various social media and Philosophy majors, Psychology majors, and Sociology majors were encouraged to apply. If one could pass Stephanie's criteria, and pass the Rangeman physical standards, then you might have a very good job. Keep the job and there was room for advancement. These were all magic words for hard times of balancing budgets and cost cutting measures.

Sadly, weekly dinners at the Plums were now somewhat muted. Edna had passed away a short time ago. She had been on a bus trip to Atlantic City and collapsed in the casino. Her finger had just pressed what turned out to be the mega winning button when she felt a crushing pain rip through her chest.

Stephanie wanted to believe that the last things she saw were all the flashing lights, the confetti raining down and hearing the sirens blaring her financial good fortune. Edna had always wanted to go out with a bang.

The funeral had been an upbeat affair, complete with an open coffin, as per her instructions. Nobody was allowed to wear black and party hats were optional. Edna had been a party girl to the very end.

On the other side of the coin, Ranger who also loved his own family, recognized that a family gathering at his parent's villa lasted all weekend and involved a revolving door to sometimes over one hundred people. Most years he had been on assignment or too busy to attend.

He was mentally preparing that this summer the Manoso clan would include himself, Stephanie and their little son. While he shuddered at the whole idea, he wanted to show off his new family.

The food that everybody would bring made Ranger cringe and his arteries shrink in horror, but the fact that every member of the Manoso family was an excellent cook outweighed the caloric overload. Unfortunately they were not able to meet as a family often, and when they did, it was a Manoso holiday.

Children slept in an area of the house apart from the parents and enjoyed the free time away from ever-watchful parental observation. They had their own stash of goodies that had been supplied. The movies were appropriate and plentiful, and the games inside were everything from checker boards to Wii games to a pool table. They ran wild and tormented the security guards provided by Rangeman. There was a swimming pool for their use with a full-time lifeguard.

Parents threatened all kinds of diabolical punishments to potential troublemakers but all Abuela and Abuelo did was smile and hide the scamps behind them from their stressed parents.

Cars would leave with exhausted children sleeping in their car seats in the back and much too busy and exhausted parents in the front.

~~~o0o~~~

Ranger received a phone call during the morning meeting one day. Normally he would have let it go to voicemail but the number coming up concerned him enough that he turned the meeting over to Tank and took it outside the door.

He had a worried look on his face and Stephanie could see him glance her way a few times when he returned. He did not approach her with what was concerning him but instead grabbed Tank and they took off in the Hummer when the meeting adjourned.

They returned about an hour later and resumed their duties. They didn't have that exasperated or serious expression that denoted trouble so Stephanie let it pass. If it was important she would hear about it eventfully.

Rangeman was short staffed due to a number of men on assignment or away and Stephanie had volunteered for a shift or two on monitor duty. She was currently on a scheduled mind and butt-numbing four hour shift on monitors.

She longed for something in the contraband area but Ella and Bobby had her on a strict diet. Sugar was her enemy right now. Baby didn't like sugar. He was into vegetables and smoothies. He liked salads and grilled fish, and olives.

Being on monitors required that no food or liquids come anywhere near the stations. Ranger's rules were very, very clear on that. If you were caught with anything near, you had the pleasure of meeting him on the mats, and heaven forbid if you spilled something that took down a monitoring station. After healing from Ranger's lesson you were left to look forward to a visit with Hector on the mats next. You could look forward to a trip to the hospital, reduced duty or sick leave and adding to the insult, your paycheck would be much, much smaller. Needless to say, the stations remained crumb and liquid free.

Manny materialized behind her and took over the station so she could have a break. She was feeling a bit tired now and baby was jumping up and down on her bladder.

Stephanie headed to seven feeling the need for a nap. Ella had left a vegetable plate for her on the counter in the kitchen and she sat down with a bottle of water.

Strong arms enveloped her as she nibbled. She had heard the door open and the keys drop in the dish.

Ranger sat down beside her and picked up a carrot. They sat and ate. Sometimes conversation could be held without words. Stephanie looked at Ranger and headed for the shower. Ranger smiled his wolf grin and got up to follow her. Supper might be late.

As Stephanie lay nestled against Ranger, he put his hand on her stomach. He could feel a little movement now and it made him smile.

He had not been there when Rachel had been pregnant with Julie and only saw her for the first time when he returned from deployment. She had been a tiny baby and he was afraid to hold her. He had stayed just long enough to confirm that she had still been receiving the cheques and sign the divorce papers.

Unfortunately Ranger was not in a place or time to be a hands-on father. He knew it, Rachel knew it and so did their families. Neither of them had received a rough time from their families and the divorce papers were handled quickly and efficiently. Ranger would drop in when he was in town if it was possible but he chose not to disturb them in the life they had chosen. He had pictures of Julie as she was growing up and kept them safe in a drawer.

He had looked at her with almost a detached attitude. Ranger knew she was a product of them both, but seeing and participating in her growing up was something he had never experienced. He could see now that she had some of his features. Her eyes had the same intense stare, analyzing and processing. Her completion was slightly darker than Rachel's but not quite as dark as her father. She would be tall and he could already see that if she wanted to be athletic, she would have good muscle structure.

Rachel found a wonderful man who wanted the whole package. Ranger had spoken with Ron and would step back and let them be a family. Julie grew up calling Ron Daddy and Ranger Ranger.

This time, Ranger attended every doctor's appointment, and was in the room when the ultrasound showed quite clearly the gender of the baby. Little One wanted the world to know right away he was a he. There was never any question.

Bobby had Stephanie on a fitness regime in the gym. He was both attentive and supportive. He had just the right mix of encouragement and cajoling. Stephanie would be in the best shape she could be when the baby was born. She could thank him later.

Time ticked on.

Ranger lifted Stephanie onto his lap on the couch. He played with a curl that was tickling his cheek. They had just finished watching the Discovery Channel and a documentary on the Caribbean. They had taken a month off and travelled around in the area for their honeymoon. Stephanie hoped that they might be able to return after baby was born. She was feeling cold and in need of a nice warm beach.

Stephanie had finally retired Ghostbusters to the back of the cabinet. When she was afraid or heartbroken, upset or euphoric, she had usually headed to her best friend to wrap its' cloak of hilarity around her. She now had a wonderful, caring, sexy and dangerous husband who could scare all the evil monsters away by his very presence.

Ranger spoke. "Babe, I need to go out of town next week for a couple of days. I would like to have brought you too, but Bobby feels that there would be too much standing for you to handle this late in the pregnancy and you are not supposed to fly unless it is an emergency. I am taking Tank, Les and Bobby with me. Manny volunteered to drive you around wherever you need or want to go."

Ranger could feel her tense up as she stilled her movements. "It's nothing dangerous and we will be as close as a phone call if need be."

She relaxed and snuggled back. The men needed some guy time together and she had a whole building full of big brothers to keep an eye on her. Her due date was less than two months away and her doctor had said that everything was looking good with no complications.

Ranger's bags were packed and laying on the bed. There was a duffel and a suit bag ready to go.

Ranger walked into the room and picked them up. He stopped by the couch where Stephanie was relaxing with her feet raised on a pillow. Her ankles were swollen today. He leaned over and gave her a kiss on the lips.

"Don't get shot, Batman," she murmured. Ranger smiled. "Don't go crazy, Babe." He walked out the door closing it quietly behind him.

~~~o0o~~~

The men met in the garage and quickly stuffed their bags and duffels. They hopped into the Escalade and drove out of the garage. Woody was driving and would bring back the vehicle from the airport. They would be flying and connecting and would arrive about midnight, about eight hours in total. As usual, carrying weapons meant extra time going through security and they had been advised we were coming through.

Eventually all four were sitting in the plane. As usual Les and Bobby were seated beside each other. They had already made eye contact with the flight attendants and were making plans for drinks later. Tank and Ranger sat together, far enough away that there might actually be some question that they were with or even knew the two playboys behind them.

Upon picking up their bags they hopped in a cab and headed for their hotel. Les and Bobby were on another floor. Sometimes a well-placed phone call made all the difference in the world.

They met for drinks at the bar and then went their separate directions. Tomorrow would be a long day.

Morning found them in the restaurant. Ranger and Tank looked rested. Les and Bobby looked... …...not.

The cab took them to their destination. They climbed out and Tank checked them over, straightening a tie here or flicking a speck of dust off there. He was the consummate NCO, looking after his men.

They walked into the reception area, carrying their headgear under their arm or folded and placed under their epaulet.

Ranger nodded at a number of people in the room and acknowledged them with either a sign of respect or politeness. His men stayed together and they moved as a unit throughout the room. It was full of brass and more were arriving every minute.

He noticed an older group of men standing off to the side. They were clapping each other on the back or giving man hugs. It was apparent that they had not been together for some time as a group and were getting re-acquainted.

Ranger caught the eye of one and nodded. The nod was returned.

The noise level had been rising steadily as more and more personnel came into the room.

A voice barked, "Attention".

Everyone immediately snapped to attention and instant silence descended. The doors opened and a number of dignitaries walked into the room.

Men and women were dressed in their Class A's. There was the Commanding Officer of the Ft. Benning military base, and the Commanding Officer of the 75th Rangers Battalion among them. Photographers followed and the military press was also out in force.

Everybody gravitated to the closed door at the end of the reception room. There was fancy bunting strung around the door frames and a very large yellow ribbon stretching across the doorway. There were microphones and cameras just off to the side.

The military entourage stepped to the podium and the Commanding Officer of Ft. Benning spoke.

"Good Morning. My name is Brigadier General Wayne Gund and I am the Commanding Officer of Ft. Benning. Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the official grand opening of the new 75th Ranger Battalion Museum of Honor. Looking around I see a good number of serving and former serving members of this proud unit.

I have had the honor to be Commanding Officer of Ft. Benning for the past four years. During that time I have observed the dedication and desire it takes to become a Ranger.

Before I turn over the microphone, I just want to say that it has been a pleasure to be in on the planning stages of this great adventure.

I met so many men who had served their country with heroism and dedication over the years. When word of this massive undertaking became public, our phones were literally ringing off the hook from members and families of members wanting to assist, help fund raise, donate materials, speak of memories of their adventures, or lament their fallen colleagues and wanting to honor them in some way.

It was such a massive undertaking that I was forced to turn it over to the 75th Museum Committee, headed by Colonel Darian Durant sooner than I really wanted. The true soldier that he is, he shouldered the responsibility without complaint and added it to his already busy schedule.

I could talk on and on about how many people contributed but I will leave that to Colonel Durant.

Without further ado, I would like to introduce you to the Commanding Officer of the 75th Ranger Battalion. Colonel Darian Durant, please come up and say a few words."

There was a guffaw of hilarity. Darian Durant was the epitome of few words. It was well known that a number of his staff had counted his spoken words while on base one day. He was a firm believer in the one-word answer. Why shoot your mouth off with unnecessary conversation. They firmly believed that when his appointment was up, nobody would come even close to his record.

The Colonel stepped up to the podium. He held up a sheaf of papers in his hand. The room broke out in laughter. On each sheet in very, very large print was one word. 'Talk'

He cleared his throat as he looked around the room.

"I am pleased to see so many taking the time to attend this grand opening. Many hours were spent in putting this together. Families of fallen members graciously provided momentos to be displayed for visitors to look at, read, or to comment on. We were literally inundated by photographs through the years supplied by members, former members, family members and official photographs. You will see how this proud unit has evolved from its humble beginnings to the battalion it is now. The men of the 75th showed their pride then as they do now. It is an honor to wear the shoulder patch of the 75th Ranger Battalion on my tunic."

He cleared his throat, looking out over the assembled personnel. It was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop.

"It was a difficult decision who to invite to this special day. Unfortunately we are losing our veterans from the Second World War at an alarming rate each and everyday. The same goes for men who fought in Korea, Vietnam and right up to the present day conflicts."

Colonel Durant stopped and took out a handkerchief. He purposefully cleaned a smudge on his glasses and put them back on.

"The Committee came to a decision after carefully weighing all the possibilities. We contacted men who were still part of a complete team to help us celebrate this day. Unfortunately that left out many very well-deserving members.

As I look around this room I cannot be more proud of the fact that a number of them have arrived in the uniforms that they wore while on active duty. Before we do the formal ribbon cutting, I would like to bring up these men and let you acknowledge their contribution to keeping this great country safe."

The Colonel reached behind him for the sheet of paper his orderly was holding out.

"Unfortunately we were not able to find any full surviving four man units from World War II. We were, however, fortunate to be able to contact a group from the Korean War and they are in attendance.

May I present Lieutenant Rodney Jones, Staff Sargent James Saunders, Sargent William Mayberry, and Corporal Anthony Smith. This team was together from the first gunshot to when they were rotated back to the United States. All four continued to serve and helped to train the soldiers who were subsequently sent into theatre. Please come up gentleman so we may acknowledge your contribution."

Four men dressed in Legion jackets walked to the front and stood as the applause thundered through the room. They shuffled their feet nervously and smiled at the attention, then quickly walked back into the crowd.

Colonel Durant spoke again.

"Four members of the 75th from the Vietnam Conflict consented to come today also. May I present Lieutenant Frank Plum, Sargent Randy Lawrence, Corporal Berney Bander, and Corporal Ernie Crabb. These men came to the theatre of operations after their unit was disbanded and re-assigned. They became a unit and served up to the end of operations. They rotated home and completed their enlistment also training the soldiers of tomorrow. Please come up gentlemen so we can acknowledge you properly."

Frank and his buddies moved to the front of the room. They were all dressed in their Ranger uniforms from so long ago. A few buttons looked like they were straining on the tunics but they were wearing the uniform proudly.

They melted back into the crowd as the applause died down.

Colonel Durant looked down at his papers.

"Our next team performed with utter disregard for both safety and discipline. I had the greatest honor and at the same time, misfortune to be in charge of this team while they served in the Middle East during a number of conflicts. May I present Lieutenant Colonel Ricardo Carlos Manoso, Lieutenant Lester Santos, Staff Sargent Pierre Sherman and Sargent Robert Brown.".

There was a sharp snap of heels and the four men marched up to the podium. Ranger and his men came to a halt immediately in front of the Colonel and saluted him.

He accepted their salute as the applause thundered out. They about faced and marched back into the crowd.

Colonel Durant thought for a minute and then spoke. "Knowing these men like I do, I still wonder what they could be hatching up. And yes, Santos, I am still watching you!"

Les snapped to attention and shouted. "That would be wise of you, Sir!"

The room erupted in laughter.

The Colonel sighed and looked down at his paper.

"The last group was the hardest to choose. We have a very large contingent of members who are serving our country as we speak, and rather than concentrate on one team, we decided to acknowledge them all."

He motioned and the screen lowered from the ceiling and a projector turned on. There were scenes of Rangers in training, Rangers getting ready to embark on a deployment, Rangers setting up camp in foreign lands, Rangers hot-roping out of helicopters, Rangers helping with the wounded, Rangers clearing buildings in a sand-covered environment, and Rangers marching at a Memorial Day Parade.

It was very moving, and as the projector turned off, there was thunderous applause from the audience.

Colonel Durant paused.

"I am very proud to introduce the oldest living Ranger able to travel to assist me in declaring this place of honor open. May I present Staff Sargent Tom Bray. Staff Sgt. Bray was a member of Merrill's Marauders, a precursor to the 75th Rangers of the present. He performed above and beyond the expectations of the training. Staff Sgt. Bray chose to re-enlist a number of times after World War II ended."

There was loud applause as a young girl proudly pushed a wheelchair forward. Tom was smiling happily and looked from side to side, shaking hands as he moved to the front.

The Colonel strode over to Tom and held out his hand. Tom gave a smile, a small but polite salute and shook hands. He motioned to the young girl and she came around to the side of the chair and put her hand on the man's shoulder. Everyone could see that he was introducing her to the Colonel.

Colonel Durant looked out. He could feel the excitement as the moment drew nearer.

He picked up a giant pair of scissors and placed them in Tom's hands and then he looked at the audience.

"On behalf of Rangers all over the world, I now declare the 75th Ranger Museum of Honor open."

Tom cut the ribbon and flashbulbs brightened the area as the cameramen clamored for the best angle. The orderlies standing near the back of the podium opened the doors, then stepped aside.

Tom's great granddaughter pushed him through the door with the Colonel beside him. The rest of the dignitaries followed and then the crush began.

Ranger and his men waited until the majority of the group had entered the room. He was watching Frank and his buddies. They too had waited.

Almost as if it was choreographed, the two teams moved to each other with their hands outstretched. Frank introduced his men and Ranger introduced his.

They made plans to meet later for dinner and tell lies about each other.

Ranger and his men watched as Frank and his friends walked into the room. They were shaking hands and chatting with people inside.

Ranger spoke.

"Did anyone ever check Frank's background?"

There was a collective shaking of heads. They had all thought of him as a hen-pecked mild-mannered cabbie who happened to be Stephanie's father. He had only casually mentioned once that he had been in the Army. He was Stephanie's father and while they could have delved into his background, they had respected him enough not to.

Ranger motioned and they headed for the door.

Inside were full sized pictures of Rangers through the years. There were uniforms on mannequins, web belts and equipment, medals and awards, bravery decorations with pictures of the men receiving them, documentation from everything from enlistment papers to discharge certificates. There were thousands of photographs. Interactive corners with chairs were playing and re-playing descriptions of battles, and of the evolving change from the Rangers of yesterday to today.

Ranger and his men strolled from board to board. They stopped at one particular board. It was a picture of the four of them dressed in combat and obviously having just returned from some objective. They were dirty and their uniforms were ripped. They looked tired, but at the same time, they had their arms over shoulders as they posed for the picture. They were young, so very young and full of life.

Frank came up to them. He motioned them to assume the same pose. He had his camera in his hand and snapped their picture. He promised to forward copies to Rangeman as soon as he got home.

Bobby motioned to Frank and his group to do the same thing in front of their picture. He took the picture with Frank's camera and then with his phone. He too would have the copy for Frank and his buddies.

They discovered that they were staying at the same hotel and made plans to meet in the lobby after they had changed out of their uniforms.

Frank heaved a sigh as he changed. He had enlisted Rangeman to tailor a fitness program so that he could lose some weight. He had never mentioned why it was so important now and Bobby, being the professional he was never asked. Bobby had helped him without Stephanie ever knowing and he had lost a number of pounds and inches. He was looking and feeling better. He wondered if he should continue the regime that Bobby had put him on. It had been very hard starting, but with Bobby encouraging and cajoling him, he was getting stronger every day. He was also feeling much better and had gently asked Helen to provide more vegetables in his diet. He had grown to love her salads, made with care and had a pleasing look to them. Ranger and Stephanie had noticed the changes in the family meal and had commented that it was good for the baby too.

He ran his hand over the tunic laying on the bed. He had so many memories, both good and bad of his time in the military, but it was time to put those memories back where he could draw them out only on rare occasions. It had been fun today to shoot the shit with his friends and new friends. Frank had decided a long time ago that his past should remain in the past.

He figured that Ranger would know how he felt soon. He was about to become a Dad. Maybe his son would become a soldier too. He hoped there would be no pressure. He believed in his heart that his son-in-law would let his child or children, if they had more, lead their own lives.

Frank was looking forward to being a grandpa again. Finally, a grandson! He had already bought him a fishing rod.

Dinner was a fun affair in the restaurant. The eight men laughed and toasted each other and joked.

The head waiter finally came up to the men. They wanted to close down the restaurant and clean up and he apologized for asking them to leave.

Laughing, they moved off, leaving a very nice tip.

Frank and his friends begged off heading out on the town. They were feeling their ages and just wanted to go back to the hotel, maybe grab a beer in their rooms and relax.

Ranger and his group bade them farewell.

Bobby and Les took off after getting a text on their phones. The flight attendants were back in town.

Ranger and Tank headed back to their room. They closed the door and each pulled out his phone.

It was time to call their women.

Ranger and his men and Frank came out of the airport terminal. There were two SUV's waiting. One SUV took Ranger and his team back to Rangeman and one SUV took Frank home.

~~~o0o~~~

Ranger walked into the apartment on seven.

Stephanie was laying in bed. She had a tray sitting beside her and was reading her ipad.

Ranger leaned against the door.

He watched her look up and put down the ipad. He saw her lick her lips in anticipation.

He remembered the first time he had found her in his bed. She had been hiding from the Slayers gang and had taken refuge in his apartment. Tank had phoned that she was trying to access his building and he had given permission for her to enter.

Ranger quickly took a shower and emerged with a small towel draped just over his hips. He moved to his side of the bed, dropped the towel and slipped in pulling his wife to his side. She laid her head on his chest and nestled in as close as she could. Baby was leaning against Ranger's hip and one of Stephanie's legs had slid in between his.

Stephanie sighed. She had missed her Cuban Sex God. She had been watched the entire time he had been gone. The men had gone into overprotective mode and she was barely able to walk around holding even a folder of papers. They had taken to timing how long she was on her feet and had encouraged her to take frequent breaks on Ranger's couch in his office with her feet raised to alleviate her swollen ankles. Ella had been very attentive and had been watching her for signs of fatigue, or anything medical that might pop up.

Ranger put his hand on her stomach and gave a gentle rub to her belly. He smiled as he received a kick for his troubles. .

Stephanie chuckled to herself. It was nice to have him home.

Ranger cuddled his wife to his chest. His ESP must have been working overtime because he whispered in her ear.

"Babe, as I have often said before, one Ranger is all you will ever need!"

**A/N – You know and I know that there is a museum in Columbus, Ga with respect to The Rangers, but this is what I think it should look like if a new one were to open tomorrow. **

**May all who serve their country know that we value their contribution and their dedication to the cause whether they serve in country or abroad.**

**Happy Memorial Day.**

Myrna

.


End file.
